Recipients of Cultural Investment Fund announced

The recipients of the latest round of funding from the Cultural Investment Fund have been announced.

26 museums and 34 library services are set to receive a share of more than £33 million.

The funding will be used to support upgrades to museums and public libraries, including vital repairs, renovations and the development of digital infrastructure, in an effort to improve the visitor experience.

It is hoped that critical infrastructure projects will help to boost access, maximise income generation opportunities and increase visitor numbers.

Darren Henley, Arts Council England chief executive, said: "Museums make a huge contribution to the lives of people in towns and cities across England.  This investment in the physical fabric of their buildings helps to make sure that our museums are able to carry on serving their communities for years to come. We’re excited to be delivering the next round of the programme on behalf of the DCMS because we know the positive impact this investment has on helping museums make a real difference across the country."

Arts and heritage minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said: "Museums and libraries are the bedrock of the community across the country, helping to inspire the creativity and curiosity of young people and begin lifelong passions for reading, learning, history and the arts.

"This major cultural investment will continue our work to level up access to culture across the country, with beneficiaries from St Ives to Sunderland and from Medway to Tyneside, building on the £100 million of further Levelling Up funding for cultural and heritage projects confirmed at this month’s Budget."

Dinosaur Isle on the Isle of Wight, which holds the UK’s second largest collection of dinosaurs, has been awarded almost £500,000 for structural repairs to its roof and improvements to the environment and lighting.

Newcastle Libraries has been awarded nearly £400,000 to create a new reading facility in a disused part of the Walker Activity Dome, support increased opening hours and create a flexible community space.

Newcastle City Council’s director of city operations, Neighbourhoods and Regulatory Services, Christine Herriot, said: "This is fantastic news. Libraries play an increasingly important role in our communities and have become much more than just places where people can borrow books.

"This extra funding will help make the library bigger by bringing unused storage space back into use, give it a new entrance and enable us to widen digital services on offer while putting in place employment support to help residents with training and accessing new job opportunities.

"We want our libraries to be pleasant, inclusive places, offering the best facilities possible for our residents and this funding will help us achieve that at Walker Library."

£250,000 has been awarded to Yorkshire Sculpture Park to restore and repair its 200-year-old, Grade II-listed Cut Bridge.

Mark Chesman, head of estates and projects at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, said: "We are delighted that the MEND fund, administered by ACE, will be supporting us to carry out urgent repairs to a historic iron bridge within Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

"The Cut bridge crosses the River Dearne and is a critical part of the estate’s infrastructure, repairs to the deck and ironwork will ensure continued access to art, nature and our heritage.

"It’s only with the support from capital grants such as the MEND fund, and additional partnership funding from Historic Houses Foundation, that these essential works can be progressed."